Tonnelle Avenue is the northern terminal of the currently miss-named Hudson-Bergen Light Rail, since the rail line is entirely within Hudson County, and won’t extend to Bergen County until the Northern Branch Corridor Project/Bergen County Extension is ever built, along the former Eire Northern branch in eastern Bergen County, this extension will see trains turning north again and running over the CSX North Bergen yard that is directly beyond the end of the balloon loop at the end of the station platforms, and continuing north along this lightly used rail branch. At times the rail branch was considered for DMU service (like RiverLINE) which would have required passengers to change to light rail trains at Tonnelle Avenue, but the current proposals are for extended light rail service. The line became the terminus of the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail on February 25, 2006, after the completion of the retrofit of the 1886-built Weehawken Tunnel from freight trains to electric light rail trains.
The station is well designed to be a terminus and consists of a single island platform located in an open cut below grade, the tunnel portal is a half-mile beyond the station. The middle of the platform is bisected by the bridge of Tonnelle Avenue (US-1/9) over the rail line. Trains generally discharge passengers on the north side of the platform before continuing around the balloon loop and reversing direction. There are also crossovers between the station and the tunnel portal allowing trains to change tracks to reverse direction before entering the station. The middle of the balloon loop has two siding tracks that end at bumper blocks for storing out of service trains. The platform has two exits at either end of the platform via a staircase and elevator. Each of these leads up to a short enclosed bridge across the south rail track. The eastern exit leads to a path to the eastern sidewalk of Tonnelle Avenue. The western exit is more substantial leading to an entrance plaza along the western side of Tonnelle Avenue with the original, restored and relocated headstones for the Weehawken Tunnel built in 1883 by the New York, West Shore & Buffalo Railway. Here is a Kiss & Ride loop, a brick building with employee facilities, and a large 700 space park & ride lot.
Photos 1-13: February 25, 2006, on opening day;
